Foldable animal shipping container



July 20, 1965 J. s. BEARD 3,195,506

FOLDABLE ANIMAL SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Nov. 29, 1963 JACK S. BEARD INVENTOR BMM ATTORNEY I 3,195,506 FLDABLE ANIMAL SHIPPING CUNTAHNER Jack S, Beard, Rte. 3, Box 96AA, Arlington, Tex. Filed Nov. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 326,687 2 Qlaims. (Cl. 119-19) This invention relates to a foldable shipping container, and it concerns more particularly a foldable box for use in transporting small animals, such as monkeys, by air, which container is formed primarily of light weight sheet metal and is foldable to relatively small dimension and is characterized by its light weight and its compactness, requiring little cargo space, when empty.

The invention contemplates a foldable shipping container as described which in its folded position has its opposite ends folded inwardly on the bottom thereof, one above another, and has its opposite sides formed in substantially equal upper and lower sections which are hinged together and to the top and bottom of the container, and in their folded positions are folded inwardly on themselves with the sections on one side in parallel, side by side relation to the corresponding sections of the opposite side above the folded ends and immediately below the top of the container.

The invention further contemplates a foldable shipping container as described in which the sections of said opposite sides, respectively, are secured in their erect positions by abutment against the adjacent side edges of said 4opposite ends, or either of them, to which one of the sections of each side is removably connected whereby said opposite ends are supported in their vertical, closed positions.

An object of the invention is to provide a foldable shipping container as described which is characterized by its height, which advantageously may be relatively greater than its width and which height may approach the length thereof.

Another object -of the invention is to provide a foldable shipping container as described having one of its opposite ends connected to the bottom of the container by a double hinge whereby it is movable substantially 180 degrees about its hinge from a first position, in which it is folded inwardly on the bottom of the container, to a second position in which it extends longitudinally outwardly from the container for use as a combined door and loading opening for admitting animals to the container and releasing them therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide foldable shipping containers as described which afford substantial protection against the Weather for animals received therein while at the same time having window openings in its opposite ends to admit light and air.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a foldable shipping container as described which is characterized by its simplicity as well as its attractive appearance, one which may be produced inexpensively, and is eflicient in operation and durable in use.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of a foldable shipping container embodying the invention as seen from the front, top, and one side thereof, showing the front end of the container in its extended position for use as a combined door and loading ramp for admitting animals to the container and releasing them therefrom.

FIGURE 2 is a back view thereof showing the back end of the container in its vertical closed position and showing the sections of two opposite sides of the container secured in their erect positions by abutment against the adjacent side edges of said back end.

FIGURE 3 is a back view showing the back end of United States Patent 0.

3,l95,506 Patented July 20, 1965 ice the container in its horizontal folded position in which it overlies the front end of the container, not shown in FIG- URE. 3, in its folded position, and showing the opposite sides of the container in their partially folded positions.

FIGURE 4 is a front view showing the container in its completely folded position; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional elevational view on an er1- larged scale, taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE l, showing the double hinge whereby the front end of the container is connected to the bottom thereof.

Referring to the drawing, the foldable shipping container of the invention comprises a rectangular box having a top 1, a bottom 2, a front end 3, a back end 4, and two opposite sides 5 each having an upper section 6 and a lower section 7 as hereinafter described.

The top l, the bottom 2, the front and back ends 3, 4, and the upper and lower sections 6, 7 of the two yopposite sides 5 are of light weight construction and each consists of a rectangular panel of light Weight sheet metal which is supported on a rigid tubular frame. l

rl`l1e front and back ends 3, 4 are connected by hinges to the bottom 2, which has an upstanding marginal portion 8 coextensive with its rearward edge whereby the front and back ends 3, 4 are adapted to be folded inwardly on the bottom 2, in the folded positions thereof, with the back end 4, which is hinged to the upstanding marginal portion S, overlying the front end 3.

The upper and lower sections 6, 7, of the two opposite sides 5, which are substantially equal, are hinged toether and to the top l and the bottom 2, respectively. The bottom 2 has upstanding marginal portions 9 coextensive with its opposite side edges which extend upwardly above the marginal portions 8, and in their folded positions the upper and lower sections 6, 7 are folded inwardly on themselves, with the sections 6, 7 of one of the sides 5 in parallel, side by side relation to the corresponding sections 6, 7 `of the opposite side 5 and with the lower sections 7, which are hinged to the upstanding marginal portions 9, positioned above the folded ends 3, 4 and immediately below the top 1.

The upper and lower sections 6, 7 of the two opposite sides 5, respectively, are secured in their erect positions, in alignment with each other, by abutment against the adjacent side edges of the front and back ends 3, 4, or either of them, to which the upper section 6 of each of the sides 5 is removably connected, at at 10, whereby the front and back ends 3, 4 are supported in their vertical, closed positions also.

The front end 3 is connected to the bottom 2 of the container by a double hinge l1 whereby it is movable substantially degrees about its hinge from a first position, in which it is folded inwardly on the bottom 2 of the container, to a second position in which it extends longitudinally outwardly from the container for use as a combined door and loading ramp for admitting animals to the container and releasing them therefrom.

The front and back ends 3, 4 have window openings 12, which may be covered with suitable screens 13, to admit light and air. A pair of bails 14 are connected to the top 1 adjacent opposite ends for use as handles, and a stop 15 projects downwardly from one end of the top 1 to engage the upper outer surface of the back end 4.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable shipping container for use in transporting small animals comprising a foldable box which in its folded position has its opposite ends folded inwardly on the bottom thereof, one above another, and has its opposite sides formed in substantially equal upper and lower sections which are hinged together and to the top and sections ofA one side in parallel, side by `side relation to f the corresponding sections of the opposite side, above said -folded ends and immediately below the top golfy the containerfthe ,bottom ofthe rcontainer having V,ur'vstanding marginal portions coeXtensivewith its rearward edge and v its opposite-side edges, respectively, saidv last mentionedk marginal*Y portions extending'upwardly aboveV 'said `rst mentioned marginal' portion, onefof said opposite ends being hinged, -to-said first mentioned marginal port-ion whereby it overlies the'other of'said opposite ends in their folded positions and the lower sectionsof said opposite sides being hinged to said last mentioned marginal portions, respectively, Whereby they Ioverlie said foldedv ends in the folded positions,` thereof, the sectionsof saidV oppositeA sides, respectively, being. secured in their Verect positionsr inalignment withe'ach other, by abutment against the adjacents'ide edges of said opposite fends, ioreither of them, lto which one of the sections of each side is removl ably connected whereby said opposite ends are supported in theirvertical,` closed positions also, `one of said oppo'-,

site ends being connected tothe hottomkorf.A thecontainer by a double hinge Whereby'it is movable substantially 180 degreesA about itsfhinge from a firstV positionl in which Yit is folded inwardlywonthe bottom ofthe container, f-to'a y second position in ,which it extends longitudinally outwardly fromthe `container forv use as a combined. door and loading ramp for admitting animals to the container and releasing them therefrom. y

2, The Vstructure of claml `1`,"the top, thebottom, said igoppositeends',V andrsaid` upper andv lower sections of said opposite sides; being oflight weight'constructionY and each Aconsisting lof .a `rectangular panel of light weight sheet metal supported ona rigid tubular frame, and said opposite ends havingwindow `openings therein to admit light and air. Y

' 'i V@References Cited by the Examiner y"U'Nrrlal STATES PATENTS 335,119 2/86 Flint@ 220-6v 844,955 Y V2*/07 VMorgan.` 220-8 1,055,482 3/13 LNI-ies'ei'l 220-6 Y V1,091,391 3/14 Romans 217-15 1,502,252 7*/24l Kluig ,217`47 2,782,955 5/57 Gordon l220-6 '3,048,147 8/62 I McKean 1 11957-19*l VSAIVLUEL KOREN, Primary Examine i ALDRICHF., MEDBERY, Examiner, 

1. A FLODABLE SHIPPING CONTANER FOR USE IN TRANSPORTING SMALL ANIMALS COMPRISING A FOLDABLE BOX WHICH IN ITS FOLDED POSITION HAS ITS OPPOSITE ENDS FOLDED INWARDLY ON THE BOTTOM THEREOF, ONE ABOVE ANOTHER, AND HAS ITS OPPOSITE SIDES FORMED IN SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS WHICH ARE HINGED TOGETHER AND TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER, RESPECTFULLY, AND IN THEIR FOLDED POSITIONS ARE FOLDED INWARDLY ON THEMSELVES, WITH THE SECTIONS OF ONE SIDE IN PARALLEL, SIDE BY SIDE RELATION TO THE CORRESPONDING SECTION OF THE OPPOSITE SIDE, ABOVE SAID FOLDED ENDS AND IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE TOP OF THE CONTAINER, THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER HAVING UPSTANDING MARGINAL PORTIONS COEXTENZIVE WITH ITS REARWARD EDGE AND ITS OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES, RESPECTIVELY, SAID LAST MENTIONED MARGINAL PORTIONS EXTENDING UPWARDLY ABOVE SAID FIRST MENTIONED MARGINAL PORTION, ONE OF SAID OPOSITE ENDS BEING HINGED TGO SAID FIRST MENTIONED MARGINAL PORTION WHEREBY IT OVERLIES THE OTHER OF SAID OPPOSITE ENDS IN THEIR FOLDED POSITIONS AND THE LOWER SECTIONS OF SAID OPPOSITE SIDES BEING HINGED TO SAID LAST MENTIONED MARGINAL PORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, WHEREBY THEY OVERLIE SAID FOLDED ENDS IN THE FOLDED POSITIONS THEREOF, THE SECTION OF SAID OPPOSITE SIDES, REPECTIVELY, BEING SECURED IN THEIR ERECT POSITIONS, IN ALIGNMENT WITH OTHER, BY ABUTMENT AGAINST THE ADJACENT SIDE EDGES OF SAID OPPOSITE ENDS, OR EITHER OF THEM, TO WHICH ONE OF THE SECTIONS OF EACH SIDE IS REMOVABLY CONNECTED WHEREBY SAID OPPOSITE ENDS ARE SUPPORTED IN THEIR VERTICAL, CLOSED POSITIONS ALSO, ONE OF SAID OPPOSITE ENDS BEING CONNCETED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER BY A DOUBLE HINGE WHEREBY IT IS MOVABL SUBSTANTIALLY 180 DEGREES ABOUT ITS HINGE FROM A FIRST POSITION, IN WHICH IT IS FOLDED INWARDLY ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER, TO A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH IT EXTENDS LONGITUDINALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE CONTAINER FOR USE AS A COMBINED DOOR AND LOADING RAMP FOR ADMITTING ANIMALS TO THE CONTAINER AND RELEASING THEM THEREFROM. 